An Ocean of Childhood Lies Here along with high potentials.
As far as it went back to the year of 2004, I began watching Martin Mystery via Disney Channel Asia (I spent earlier childhood in Saigon). It wasn't until then that I had some concepts about what to watch. I usually sit down with a pack of chips and then just run through the programs. Until I hit MM.So MM was a cartoon with paranormal activities - in most definitions - true. But if that was about to be a negative impact point, I'd rather disgust that. Martin Mystery used to be a series of comics of the same genré, with paranormal and goo-infesting schemes. However the comic was far too mature - a good way to put it - boring!!
I was of teenage back then. I immediately fell in love with the series. Martin resembles part of me just right - laid back, chill, childish, and caring (to a point) and Diana serves great half other part of me - a straight A goody two shoes. It is fun to see part of that reflection within the cartoon, but that reflection should not be just me - everybody had teenage. Everybody was once a teen, whom may have run their skateboards through the streets, or maybe flirting with girls and get slapped, or maybe with an A and declare themselves hero. Besides the slime and goo, we saw ourselves in the characters - woo, we were drawn into it. I can look back and forth now and see my friends around me whom were pretty much just like Java and Billy.
Now then, Martin and Diana can be seen arguing, yet no one gave a good look at the chemistry that formed between them. I cannot forget the image of Diana embrace Martin inside the sea monster's guts nor the image of the "spontaneous fun hug" in "Eternal Christmas". I cannot forget the moment when Diana was truly touched by Martin's words either. Of course that was before the pranks were revealed and Diana left with "enough heat to levitate". It cannot be incest - it is pure love between the two kids who happened to have their divorced or widowed parents married. We simply cannot condemn their love, but to embrace it for its pureness and the difficulties they have to get through.
The use of monsters was there taking part much criticisms from viewers as well. Yet, the contrast between a human being's rotten soul in comparison to a creature being negatively labelled "monster" is another aspect represented in Martin Mystery's adventures. I can still recall the episode "Shriek From Beyond", when Diana condemned the old sailor Rolf as being the real monster - not the Siren, whom was actually the victim. Along with the slime infected plot, we can see that glow of the ethical lessons being inserted and well appear, which, again, did taught us all something.
The last two episodes of the final season, the "It's Alive (1&2)", was a true disappointment. There were simply no way someone like Diana would do such a treacherous thing. I would interpret this as Marathon's rush to finish the work, however if this was to be a finely crafted work then I'd say those two last episodes had gone sour. There are no way someone like Diana could turn against her step brother, and simply no chance she would have the heart to toss the grenade down that hole knowing Martin may be killed. And if Martin was accused for lack of sympathy, then we should look back at the whole time line of the series for whether if anybody was ever so willing to share any "pathos" to Martin. There are a fair bit of unfair going on there.
2008 was a year full of disappointment for me. I turned on the TV after a hellish day. I can't see Martin anywhere. I waited for Martin, then for Kim Possible, then for my favorites, but none showed up. Without sufficient entertainment resources, I was rendered almost incapable. I was lost. Until now when I can find DVDs of the shows would I be a little bit more relief.
However, let's be glad to know that there are chances of Martin Mystery et al coming back to television in a whole new series. They had confirmed the project and await our support.
This is my expressions/feeling and review for this wonderful show. Would hope that everybody could take my words.
score 9/10
marine-capt-xuan 11 March 2014
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2977680/14503
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